The Way of the Center

Now let's look back at the 2008 NBA draft. If Anjie and Westbrook are removed, the gold content of this draft will definitely be greatly reduced.

The youngest MVP Rose has been devastated by injuries. Beasley, who the Heat gave up on Anjie and chose Beasley, is now only content to get a contract to play in the NBA. As for the third overall pick, O.J. Mayo, this guy is almost becoming synonymous with "tumor".

As for Anjie and Westbrook, one has become the league champion, and the other has become one of the hottest superstars in the league.

Despite the huge size gap between these two guys, they are both the toughest attackers in the league. Although these two guys have different positions, they have conquered their respective fans with crazy performances time after time.

They reached their peak almost at the same time. Westbrook had just reached the finals the year before, and Angie won the O'Brien Cup the year after.

They have also become iron fighters, and An Jie ushered in the peak after a meniscus injury. Westbrook also surprised people in the early stages of his return from injury.

Although these two guys have long since fought together, they have always encouraged each other and even worked hard together this summer.

Westbrook has envisioned him and Angie reuniting on the court more than once since they parted ways at the end of training camp. Unexpectedly, this moment is coming so soon.

"Russell! Concentrate!" A stern loud voice brought Westbrook back to his senses. Now his opponent is not Anjie and the Blazers, but Cousins ​​and his Sacramento Kings.

Scott Brooks, the young coach did not disappoint. He can be said to have taken over Jeff Van Gundy's coach perfectly. Unlike Van Gundy's overemphasis on defense and slow pace, Coach Brooks emphasizes high-intensity confrontation and fast speed.

As a result, the Thunder's offensive firepower is stronger than before. And their defense is not necessarily much worse than before.

Cousins, an arrogant guy, wiped the big beads of sweat on his head, and the impact of Durant and Westbrook made him feel very strenuous. Coupled with Morris's desperate entanglement, Cousins ​​​​had even more sweat. Of course, there were more fouls.

This game was more difficult than Brooks imagined, but winning the game should not be a problem.

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The fierce fighting in Oklahoma continues,

Jeff Van Gundy didn't have to direct the game nervously in the Chesapeake Energy Arena today.

His spirit and body no longer support the intensity of the NBA. Being the head coach was really hard. For the Thunder, Van Gundy didn't know how many nights he stayed up, and the hair on his head was even less than before.

The career of NBA head coach is no longer suitable for him, but Jeff Van Gundy's life is inseparable from basketball. Broadcasting, a career Van Gundy considered years ago, is now his real job.

So, while Brooks was directing the Thunder to victory, Jeff Van Gundy had flown to Portland.

Tomorrow, the Trail Blazers game against the Thunder will be Van Gundy's debut as a commentator. And ESPN chose to let him appear in this special game, but also with ulterior motives.

After Van Gundy got off the plane, he saw Anjie's huge poster at first glance. Three years later, the Portland City Government still sticks to this "tradition." This huge poster is still constantly being replaced, sometimes for The team's publicity is sometimes Nike's billboard with Anjie as the protagonist, and sometimes it is other advertisements of Anjie.

But no matter how you change it, this position will always be reserved for An Jie.

No longer coming to Portland as a head coach, Van Gundy's mood is very different.

From the high tension and mental tension in the past, to the can't wait and enjoy the relaxation now. For the first time in decades, Van Gundy felt that basketball brought him nothing but simple joy.

As soon as he entered the airport hall, Van Gundy found that a large group of reporters had surrounded the place tightly.

Van Gundy was amazed how a small commentator himself could have so much influence in Portland. But when he saw a tall figure in the group of reporters, he knew why there were so many reporters here.

These reporters didn't come for themselves, but from An Jie who picked them up at the airport.

"I told you that you don't have to come to pick me up. You have a game tomorrow, so you should rest well tonight." Van Gundy ignored everyone's gaze and hugged An Jie directly.

"Boss, you are no longer the head coach. As an on-site commentator, you shouldn't have said this to me." Anjie joked to Van Gundy.

That's right, after so many years, I am no longer An Jie's head coach. No, right now, he is a real live commentator.

But he can't change his habits. After being the head coach for nearly 20 years, Van Gundy can't change his role quickly.

"Okay, let's go to your house first. I'll go with you to watch today's Thunder game." Van Gundy and An Jie talked cordially, and they walked into the underground parking lot and drove away. And those journalists who did good deeds naturally had more than enough to say.

After returning home, Anjie sat with Van Gundy and watched the entire game between the Thunder and the Kings.

It's been a long time since the two have had such a serious discussion of tactics and countermeasures together. When Van Gundy almost shouted: "Ann, go to the court and freeze Cousins' offense!". Both of them smiled in sequence.

Although in the years of the Thunder, Anjie didn't get any great honors. But I have to admit that the years when he worked with Van Gundy in the Thunder also made Anjie feel happy and reluctant.

The end of the game, in the end, the Kings failed to seize the last opportunity to attack. Although they only won by two points, the Thunder won the game anyway.

12 wins and 3 losses, this is their current record after the Thunder's victory. Although there is still some gap with Anjie's 18-game winning streak, the Thunder's performance is definitely very good after the superstar's comeback and coaching changes.

Van Gundy nodded in relief. Over the past five years, he has put too much effort into this Oklahoma team. It is naturally not so easy for him to forget all of this suddenly.

When he took over the Thunder, the Thunder was still an emerging force in the NBA. And Durant, Westbrook, and Anjie are three stunned young people who no one cares about.

Now, the Thunder has become a powerhouse in the Western Conference, and Durant, Westbrook and Angie have also become the pillars of this league.

"I really want to appreciate the battle between the three of you from the perspective of a bystander." Thinking of tomorrow's game and his first show in his commentary career, Van Gundy couldn't help feeling a little excited.

"I also hope to see after the game, what words will you use to judge me." An Jie smiled mischievously, watching his former coach walk into the commentary area, it feels quite strange.

Van Gundy took his padded jacket, got up, and prepared to return to the hotel.

Anjie wanted to send Van Gundy back in person, but Van Gundy insisted on refusing.

His reason was simple, still the same sentence: "Ann, you need to get enough rest."

Seeing Van Gundy's insistence, An Jie no longer insisted. Watching Van Gundy disappear into the distance in a taxi, An Jie also quietly fell asleep after calling his parents and Catherine.

The original Thunder team has now become torn apart. Van Gundy became the commentator, and Anjie became the king of another city. As for Durant and Westbrook, both of them have also undergone great changes. Morris, this guy has also become the strongest shield behind Westbrook and Durant.

What will happen when such a fragmented puzzle is put back together?

Maybe, it will be very different from the beautiful past...